1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rack shelving. More particularly, it relates to lightweight, structurally integral, strong composite rack shelving.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for rack shelving have been provided in the prior art. Even though they frequently are suitable for specific purposes which they address, they each differ in structure and/or operation and/or purpose from the present invention and they therefore are not suitable for the purposes of the present invention.
A typical prior art rack system 20 can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, which are, respectively, a diagrammatic perspective view of a typical prior art rack system illustrating columns, beams, and a shelf thereof in use, and an enlarged diagrammatic top plan view of the area generally enclosed by a dotted curve identified by ARROW 2 in FIG. 1 illustrating a spacer utilized for the shelf shown in FIG. 1, and as such, will be discussed with reference thereto.
The typical prior art rack system 20 comprises columns 22, beams 24, and a shelf 26. The columns 22 are vertical support members which interconnect with the beams 24 which are horizontal support members. Each column 22 has rows of slots 28 which are vertically extending and each beam 24 has pins 30 which are spaced apart from each other and which insert into the slots 28 in the column 22. Each beam 24 further has a step 32 extending therealong which has the shelf 26 rest thereon.
The beam 24 is connected to the column 22 by first inserting the pins 30 of the beam 24 into upper portions 34 of the slots 28 in the column 22 and then sliding the pins 30 of the beam 24 downwardly into lower portions 36 of the slots 28 in the column 22. When the beam 24 is so connected, a portion of the pin 30 of the beam 24 projects beyond an associated slot 28 in the column 22 to secure the beam 24 from axially disengaging from the column 22, i.e., the beam 24 can only be disconnected by reversing the connection sequence.
Once the beam 24 is connected to the column 22 by inserting the pins 30 of the beam 24 into the upper portions 34 of the slots 28 in the column 22 and sliding them downwardly into the lower portions 36 of the slots 28 in the column 22, the beam 24 will remain secured to the column 22 so long as there is a downward force on the pins 30 of the beam 24.
The shelf 26 comprises a plurality of boards 38, which are free from each other, and which are wood. Each board 38 of the shelf 26 extends transversely, and has a pair of ends 40 which rest on the steps 32 of the beams 24, respectively. The plurality of boards 38 of the shelf 26 are spaced-apart from each other by spacers 42.
Each spacer 42 is bent from a strip of metal into a body 44 and a pair of wings 46. The body 44 of the spacer 42 generally is U-shaped and has terminal ends 48 from which the pair of wings 46 of the spacer 42 extend perpendicularly outwardly.
The spacer 42 rests on the step 32 of the beam 24 with the body 44 of the spacer 42 spacing apart a pair of adjacent boards 38 of the shelf 26. The spacer 42 is maintained on the step 32 of the beam 24 only by the pair of wings 46 of the spacer 42 being sandwiched between adjacent ends 40 of the pair of adjacent boards 38 of the shelf 26 and the beam 24. Each board 38 therefore must have a specific width, i.e., a width extending from the body 44 of one spacer 42 to the body 44 of an adjacent spacer 44.
Thus, the shelf 26 comprises a plurality of separate, non-mechanically connected parts, namely, the plurality of boards 38 and the spacers 42, and as a result thereof, afford little structural integrity for the shelf 26. Further, the shelf 26 is heavy as a result of the plurality of boards 38 being wood.
Thus, there exists a need for composite rack shelving which affords structural integrity by having no non-mechanically connected parts, is light weight and strong, and allows flames thereunder to pass upwardly therethrough instead of sidewardly therealong and an extinguishant thereabove to pass downwardly therethrough and extinguish the flames thereunder.